Team Canada Announces Replacement to Top Defenseman Matthew Schaeffer After Tournament-Ending Injury

Yesterday, Canada suffered an embarrassing 3-2 shootout loss to Latvia in the World Junior Championship, prompting snubbed players Zayne Parekh and Carter Yakemchuk to take shots at the team.

The Latvian goalie Linards Feldbergs did a great job, blocking 55 of the 57 shots fired at him.

However, Team Canada was without one of their best players for nearly the whole game.

Only a few minutes into the first period, Matthew Schaefer collided with the net and had to leave the game.

If you missed it, check out the following video to see how he got taken out of the game:

This is a massive loss for Canada. Schaefer had a breakout season with the Erie Otters in the OHL, scoring 22 points in 17 games.

Some scouting reports even placed him ahead of James Hagens in the 2025 NHL Draft predictions.

TSN's Bob McKenzie stated that Schaefer has a broken collarbone, an injury which usually requires around two or three months of recovery.

As Canada prepares to face Germany tomorrow, fans were eagerly waiting to see who would replace him on the lineup.

In breaking news, it was announced that Sawyer Mynio will be available for tomorrow's game.

Mynio, 19, was drafted 89th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2023. This season, the 6-foot-1 defenseman plays for the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL and tallies 19 points in 18 games.

It'll be interesting to see how Canada bounces back from that tough loss against Latvia, and how players respond to Schaefer's injury.

Mynio is set to have an amazing opportunity to show what he can bring to the table. Fans are hoping to see him make the most of it.